Mechanized Armored Infantry Witch Combat Weapons
Witch Combat Weapons are any kind of constructed firearm or weapon (typically with magical properties) that are used by most Mechanized Armored Infantry Witches as primary weapons. Most of such weapons, like Witch Combat Guns and similar weapons are usually constructed from scratch as weapons for any given Tracked Leg Striker unit, though their are exceptions each witch combat weapon varies in type configuration. Such weapons are measured in Magic Mass (abbreviated "mm") in order to measure their individual magical output and destructive power. Most witch combat guns also utilize their own specialized, custom made and magically imbued ammunition akin to a 'shell'. History of Witch Combat Guns In the early years of striker development witches that used tracked legs had to rely on normal infantry small arms for personal protection, as early strikers were unable to permit witches to unleash enough magical potential to allow witches to carry heavy weapons for extended periods of time or use them effectively. While standard infantry small arms were potent in the hands of witches compared to those same weapons being in the hands of a male soldier: it was likely these weapons were rather modest in magical mass output and thus destructive power, and due to being rather varied in both kinds and caliber; meant that standardization and logistical resupply of ammunition could be occasionally troublesome. However when it later was possible to release more physical strength, it became increasingly popular to equip land based witch tracked leg users with their own main armament, tailored to take advantage of the powers of the Tracked Legs and output larger amounts of magic mass in combat. Witch Combat Guns The 'standard' witch combat gun is the standard primary weapon used by ground based witch soldiers, chiefly Mechanized Armored Infantry. While most witch combat guns vary in their size, type and magic mass output; they are typically the standard issue service weapon for any given tracked leg package that a witch soldier would use in battle. Most of such weapons are capable of short and medium range engagement, though some are better tailored for short and medium range and typically are cannon-like in aesthetic appearance. It is important to note these Witch Combat guns are not actual tank cannons but rather witch tailored personal "hand cannons". Most witch combat guns posses a small gun shield like mantlet to provide a small modicum of extra protection for the witch when it battle. Such weapons can be wielded two handed or one handed. For example: The Kampfwagenkanone 3.7cm KwK36 would designate a full sized tank cannon for use on various iterations of the Panzer tank. However KhK37 would identify a witch combat gun made for witches that is patterned aesthetically after it's tank counterpart but possessing a differing caliber and unit use. Witch combat guns can be loaded by either magazine or stripper clip, and most are capable of semi-automatic firing. Their are witch combat guns that can feed their magazines either horizontally but most are fed into their the weapon vertically. Their also exist Long range witch combat guns that excel at medium to long range engagement and at times even higher magic mass output though some in this category are used in specific striker unit "packages" for long range, like the Panzer IV "Special" and "Extra Special" packages. These types of weapons, like other witch combat guns are semi-automatic and are either loaded through magazine or stripper clip, though a rare minority may be bolt action weapons. They also tend to have higher magic mass output over typical standard variations of witch combat guns. Some witch combat guns appear to look like small, handheld, heavy machine pistols and further some of these are specially constructed small arms for use with striker units though these are usually typical of light infantry combat tracked legs, cruiser strikers and other lighter, more mobile striker units and a minority of medium tracked legs. Some are heavily modified standard infantry small arms that implement a coaxial pistol as sidearm and may output slightly higher magic mass then a typical standard issue infantry small arm. But for such witch combat weapons; their magic mass output is still rather marginal, and these weapons are typically able to be fired semi-automatically or even as fully automatic weapons depending on the specific type of witch small caliber and magic mass witch combat guns. Other witch combat guns at times can consist of heavily modified anti-tank guns like the OQF 2pdr anti-tank cannon; modified for personal witch use as a witch combat gun. What's more even standard issue witch combat guns of a given type can see some minor alteration and personalisation for it's witches, often seen in Karlsland Panzer IV witches, in which some witch combat guns either have a buttstock to use as a rifle type weapon for stable firing or forego the buttstock completely for more weapon mobility, or some witch combat guns having an additional foregrip for better weapon control. Certain witch combat guns can accommodate bayonet use, and rounds are stored in either pouches or in rifle round bandoliers. Anti-Neuroi Rifle Designation for any kind of large caliber, long range sniper-type witch combat weapon designed specifically for striker units dedicated for either the snipers role or was a weapon designed originally as a witch combat gun intended to fulfill a dedicated sniping position in a witch squad. Such weapons are tailored for long range engagements of Neuroi and may either have comparable amounts of magic mass to standard witch combat guns or more likely and often then not, may even have higher outputs of magic mass then standard witch combat guns while still falling under the output range of 75mm. Anti-Neuroi rifles are typically weapons with long, thin barrels compared to most "long barreled" witch combat guns, and also typically have bipods for stability. Anti-Neuroi rifles can either use simple iron sites or could even use some sort of telescopic snipers scope. These weapons can either be bolt-action or breach-loading weapons, while others could be loaded via stripper clip or even by magazine, though the exact style and means of ammunition feeding would likely vary between weapon to weapon. Witch Combat Cannons Witch combat cannons are usually a title and designation reserved to any witch combat firearm that is capable of outputting 75 units of magic mass or more and/or alternatively is any weapon of prodigious size. Such weapons tend to be larger then most witch combat guns and are ussually used by various kinds of assault legs, heavily armed medium tracked legs, or SPG (Self-Propelled Gun) type strikers and due to their size, weight and recoil, facilitate and require two hands to use effectively, as well as the likely possibility of strikers modified and tuned with stronger magic recoil dampeners to assist the witch in firing their combat cannons effectively. The Stug III used by Aurora Juutilainen and witches that use some variation of the Sturmpanzerbeine III type strikers use a 75mm witch combat cannon. Then their are some witch combat cannons that consist of witch modified Heavy Assault guns, that can technically fall under this category. The witch modified 15 cm sIG 33 Heavy Assault gun used by Hanna Cramer of Hannelore Kummel's witch unit; 8th Panzer Regiment, is one such example of this. Tank Cannons The use of actual, full sized tank cannons as actual, primary, personal weapons by witches is relegated solely to witches that use Heavy Tracked Leg strikers like witches that use the famed Tiger I striker and it's primary weapon system: the 8.8 cm KwK 36. Due to their large size, raw power, incredible weight and stunning recoil; Tank cannons can only ever really be used by Heavy Tracked Legs, with such strikers being designed around supporting and wielding such a massive armament as it's primary weapon. As such a venture of constructing and fielding such powerful units is expensive and labor intensive not many Heavy Tracked Leg Strikers are made and thus seeing witches fielded with such armaments is not common. However, those that do, carry with them one of the most powerful witch weapons to exist on the battlefield enhanced further with the witches magic. Witch combat guns and tank cannons are both relegated to their own separate units of measurements of raw destructive power so the exact comparative estimates for how much magic mass tank cannon like the 8.8cm KwK36 would output is difficult to determine, though it is safe to assume from both implication and observable performance Tank cannons mounted on Heavy Strikers, piloted by a witch; are capable of tremendous power that can burst medium and heavy Neuroi armor and demolish smaller neuroi. They are also formidable in breaking through Neuroi hives and nests and cutting large swaths of destruction, wreaking havoc in a Neuroi hoard. Most of the details into exact operation of Tank cannons when used by Heavy Tracked Legs is not clearly or fully outlined, but what is known is that they still utilize Tank shells as their ammunition and the Tiger I does use an auto-loader for reloading. Means of sighting a target with such a weapon is also an enigmatic detail though use of some kind of sights may be of high probability. Witch Combat Bucklers and Shields While not a firearm, witch combat bucklers can be a useful tool and weapon in a mechanized infantry witches arsenal. Witch combat bucklers are small, personal conventional shields, and of which they are rather uncommon, if not rare as far as witch weapons go; used only by a minority of striker units as part of a standard issue striker package like the R35 Medium Tracked Legs used by Gallian witches that use the R35 Medium tracked legs. While nominally used as a small, personal shield, the witch combat buckler also can prove to serve as useful and potent melee weapon in close quarters to bash enemies that get within melee range. Other shields of some form or another, while rare to see used by witches in the 2nd Neuroi War, are also not unheard of, and provide personal protection for the witch in addition to her magical shields, as a sort of insurance. Most, typically, are magically treated. Such shields however, are likely usually considered redundant, given their lack of any major prevalence in use by witches save a few individual examples and in certain situations. Infantry Small Arms Standard infantry small arms are also used by the various light, cruiser and medium tracked leg mechanized witch infantry, though in the Second Neuroi War they have much less of a prevalence among the Mechanized armored infantry compared to their perennial use by Air infantry witches, or at least in the role of a primary weapon. However use as either a secondary or even as a side arm is certainty highly plausible. While the standard infantry small arm isn't typically measured in magic mass as a default rule like it is seen with witch combat guns; it can be supposed that in a witches hands these weapons can output and make use of magic mass, making the small arm more potent in the hands of a witch then it would in that of her male comrades in arms. It is likely however that such levels of magic mass put out by infantry small arms used by armored infantry is modest compared to the powerful capabilities of a witch combat gun, although perhaps slightly stronger incrementally then if used by air infantry witches. Standard Infantry Small arms are typically measured in their standard units of caliber and physical, scientific and ballistic forces of measurement, and though it's possible that in a witches hands the measurement of magic mass output can be supplemented and factored as being an additional probable factor it is neither the default measurement nor would it be likely to be as large in measurement to a witch using a witch combat gun. That being said, it's possible that in the hands of Mechanized Armored infantry the amount of magic mass outputted by these infantry small arms would be noticeably larger then in the hands of Mechanized Air Infantry Witches; though the exact arbitrary measurement is unclear to quantify. Compared to witch combat guns, it's likely that Infantry Small arms are rather limited magically for a witch soldiers uses and are not capable of being able to output larger amounts of magic mass inaitly, at least not without significant focus and effort on a witches part to focus her magical power through the weapon in question, even with the aid of greater magical potential capable in tracked legs. However the use of such conventional infantry small arms still can prove workable, even commendable use on the battlefield in some instances for certain witch small arms, especially against small and medium type Neuroi units. Machine guns, Rifles and Submachineguns are rather typical weapons to see use by such witches. For some witches that use Machineguns of some form, some may likely have strikers that implement a quick detatch rifle stand to provide the witch with better stability and weapon retention of her machine gun while in combat, while some submachineguns can serve as secondary backup weapons or even as outright sidearms for a witch. Alternatively SMG's can serve as a coaxial mount for some witch combat guns, though these tend to be of occasional use and used for specific witch combat guns and striker unit types. The possibility of using rocket based weapons or other anti-armor weapons or anti-armor rifles is probable, like Aurora using the Lahti L-39 , but these weapons but don't seem to be very prevalent compared to standard issue witch combat guns, at least in the role of primary weapon. That being said their use is likely still fairly probable to some extent, possibly used either as secondary or additional weapons alongside some other weapon system or Witch combat gun, or in the case of rocket launchers, recoiess rifles or the PIAT, could be used as an additive, dedicated anti-armor weapon. Witches tend to use the Pistol or revolver as a rather common sidearm for personal defense, however the use of a sawnoff shotgun is not unheard of and see occasional use. In either case, witches tend to implement a holster of some kind, and some mechanized armored infantry witches have back holsters that hold their pistols and two magazines for ease of access, and sawnoff shotguns used as sidearms have their own belt sheaths with integrated shotgun shell bandolier. Melee Weapons While the kind of witch melee weapons vary, most witch melee weapons consist of bayonets, combat knifes, and swords of some kind. However their are individual instances featuring the use of the odd spear and or pole arms, combat axes or any other sort of hand held weapon at hand. Their are some witches that can even fight with their bear, magically imbued hands in personal combat with enemy Neuroi. Waltrude Wahl, who served on the African Front with the Africacorps, alongside Hannelore Kummel, used along side her witch combat gun a special equipment known as the "Grossklappspaten". While ussually the name is a referance to any folding entrenching tool: in Walrude Wahl's case: it was a large, adjustable tool capable of several differing configurations, that served not only as a large, spade shaped shield but could be adjusted to serve as an entrenching tool, a hoe and even be configured and used as a combat axe. This piece of equipment was fairly large and seemingly custom made, made of strong, durable, yet light weight materials, and would likely have been magically imbued and treated to facilitate use as both shield and battle axe and see regular use as an entrenching tool. Other Witch Weapons Other misalliance weapons used by witch of conventional nature include grenades, satchel charges, molotovs, bombs as well as bows and arrows. Matilda, working along side the Storm witches: has been known to use the sling and rocks thrown by the sling. However their have been instances of witches using improvised weapons like in the case of Aurora using a tree trunk as a massive club or the instance where Kitano Furuko who threw cans of Spem at Neuroi units, having no other weapons at hand other then her bayonet. Category:Article stubs Category:Bucket Category:Striker Unit